About Us
Board
Adrian Kramer
Treasurer & Co-President
Region Legal Director, Coca-Cola HBC AG
«VSUJ gives me access to an excellent network of peers and continuous learning opportunities — essential for both new and seasoned in-house counsel.»
Michael Burkart
Co-President
Global Head Legal Operations, Strategy & Corporate, SGS SA
«I value the practical focus of VSUJ. The exchange with fellow in-house lawyers enhances my professional development and supports my day-to-day legal work.»
Kinga Frater
Head of Legal, Governance, Quality and Environmental Management, ZFV Cooperative
«Sharing my experience with fellow professionals is important to me. My engagement with VSUJ is always also a contribution to strengthening our profession.»
Michael Stanek
General Counsel EMEA, Lonza Sales AG
«Despite the differences among the companies we work for, we face similar challenges. VSUJ provides valuable insights through personal exchange.»
Ueli Hengartner
Head Legal Corporate/ESG, Europe & Deputy Secretary, Lindt & Sprüngli (International) AG
«The practical relevance behind everything we do together is a strong motivation for me to contribute to VSUJ.»
Cla Koenz
Head Legal New Business & D-Commerce, Coca-Cola HBC AG
«High-level, engaging and inspiring: I always look forward to our events.»
Angelika Lins
General Counsel Zurich Airport, Flughafen Zürich AG
«Our responsibilities are complex and extend far beyond legal issues. Exchanging ideas with equals helps sharpen our professional role — and that’s what I find in VSUJ.»
History of the VSUJ
The Association of Swiss In-House Counsel (VSUJ) was founded in 1982 in Zurich. Its founding members included more than 100 lawyers from major Swiss industrial, commercial, and service enterprises. The initiative was launched by IBM Switzerland. From the very beginning, the objective was to promote exchange of experience among in-house counsel working in different legal functions and industries.
The first professional conference on the day of the founding focused on:
“Data protection in the company.” Even from today’s perspective, this topic was visionary and remains highly relevant — just like the other original goals of the association’s founders:
Practice-oriented continuing education to refresh and expand legal knowledge
Discussions on the structure and organization of legal departments
Exchange on the role of legal staff within companies and their collaboration with external counsel
Round tables to address specific legal and business challenges
Fostering young professionals through connections to universities and academic institutions
Cultivation of collegial relationships and adherence to professional ethics
Practice Groups
Legal Technology & Operations
To meet the challenges of technological transformation and digitalisation in the legal profession, VSUJ has established the Practice Group Legal Technology & Operations. This group addresses new working methods, process management, and technologies in Swiss companies.
Background and Objectives
As technology continues to advance, the role of in-house counsel has fundamentally changed. Modern legal tech solutions and optimised processes make it possible to provide legal services more efficiently and purposefully. The Practice Group Legal Technology & Operations serves as a platform to:
Integrate innovative technologies and tools into everyday legal work
Promote process optimisation and efficiency in legal departments
Discuss communication strategies and change management when introducing new systems
Exchange best practices and experiences in handling technological innovations
The Practice Group is aimed at all VSUJ members who are interested in the digitalisation of legal departments and wish to implement new solutions in their professional environment.
Content and Key Topics
The events of the Practice Group provide an opportunity to discuss current trends and developments in the following areas:
Legal Tech Tools and Applications
Presentation and evaluation of new software solutions that facilitate daily legal work
Legal Operations
Optimisation of workflows, project management, and use of resources in legal departments
Change Management
Successful strategies for introducing innovative technologies and encouraging company-wide acceptance
Data Management
Ensuring legal compliance in the digital age
These topics are explored through lectures, interactive workshops, or discussion rounds. The focus is on practical exchange — because we only generate lasting impact by sharing our experiences.
Co-Head Practice Group
To promote knowledge transfer and ongoing development in this dynamic field, the Practice Group was initiated by experienced legal professionals. It is jointly led by:
Alice Mettler
Group Data Protection Officer & Head of Legal Operations, Landis+Gyr AG
Sarit Ventura
Project Manager Legal Operations, ABB AG
Dr. Michael Burkart
Global Head of Legal Operations, Strategy & Corporate, SGS AG
Join us!
Are you already a member of VSUJ and would like to actively participate in the Practice Group Legal Technology & Operations? Or are you interested in the latest trends in the digitalisation of legal workflows? We warmly invite you to attend our events on these topics. Please visit our Events page for details.
Young Professionals
Background and Objectives
Especially for young in-house counsel, informal access to a network of professional peers is of great value. The Young Professionals events are therefore an ideal platform to make connections and pursue continuing education in a relaxed setting. These events are primarily aimed at younger members but are open to all interested members.
Content and Key Topics
Our events explore current legal issues and also specifically cover areas such as leadership and career planning. In doing so, we support the next generation, accompany our younger members on their professional journeys, and enable meaningful exchanges of experience.
Join Us!
Are you already a member of VSUJ and would like to get actively involved in the Practice Group Young Professionals? Attend the next event and get in touch with us. Please visit our Events page for details.
Co-Head Practice Group
The Practice Group is jointly led by:
Anne-Laure Bossel
Group Senior Counsel, Emmi Group
Maximilien Szabo
Senior Legal Counsel, Novartis